How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Long Beach?

In most cases, California gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under Code of Civil Procedure §335.1. If a government vehicle or dangerous road condition is involved, you generally must file a written government claim within about six months under Government Code §911.2. Contacting a lawyer early helps preserve your rights.

How much is my Long Beach car accident case worth?

There is no standard figure. Value depends on factors like how serious your injuries are, your medical bills, lost income, the lasting impact on your life, and the insurance coverage available — including commercial coverage in port-truck cases. We evaluate your specific case and make no guarantees about the result.

What if the other driver was uninsured?

If the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may allow you to recover. We review every policy that could apply, including commercial coverage that may be involved in collisions with port trucks.

Which courthouse handles Long Beach car accident cases?

Long Beach car accident cases are handled through the Los Angeles County Superior Court at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach. We appear in Los Angeles County court as your case requires while handling most of your matter remotely.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost?

We work on a contingency fee basis, so there's no fee unless we win your case. The initial consultation is free, letting you understand your options at no cost or obligation. You won't pay attorney fees out of pocket up front.

Long Beach Car Accident Lawyer

From the port-truck traffic on the 710 to the busy crossings along Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach packs heavy commercial and commuter traffic into a tight coastal grid. MMG Law Firm represents injured Long Beach residents and clients across California, and we don't get paid unless we win for you.

Car Accidents matters in Long Beach

Long Beach has a traffic profile unlike anywhere else in Los Angeles County. The 710 carries a constant stream of trucks serving the Port of Long Beach, the 405 and 605 move dense regional traffic, and the 22 links it all together. Layered over the freeways are heavily used surface routes — Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach Boulevard, and Anaheim Street — plus the busy downtown core and the pedestrian-rich Belmont Shore area. The mix of port trucks, commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians makes serious collisions a real and recurring danger.

If you were injured in a Long Beach crash, MMG Law Firm can help you understand your rights under California law and pursue the recovery you deserve. Here's what to keep in mind.

Where Long Beach crashes happen

The 710: Port of Long Beach truck traffic raises the risk of severe commercial-vehicle collisions.
The 405 and 605: heavy merging and congestion lead to rear-end and chain-reaction crashes.
The 22: connector traffic produces sideswipes and weaving collisions.
PCH, Long Beach Blvd, and Anaheim St: intersection, left-turn, pedestrian, and bicycle crashes, especially downtown and near Belmont Shore.

Fault and comparative negligence

California is an at-fault state, so the negligent driver — or the trucking company behind a negligent driver — is responsible for the harm caused. Under pure comparative negligence, your compensation is reduced by your share of fault but is never eliminated, even if you were partly responsible. Insurers lean hard on this rule to reduce payouts, so preserving evidence and witness accounts early can make a real difference.

How insurers try to pay you less

The at-fault party's insurer is focused on its bottom line. Be cautious of:

A quick lowball offer before your injuries are fully understood.
A request for a recorded statement that can be used to minimize your claim.
Claims that your injuries are exaggerated or pre-existing.

If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may be available. We examine every policy that could apply, including commercial coverage in port-truck cases.

What you may recover

California law permits recovery of both economic and non-economic damages, which may include:

Medical expenses, both current and future
Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
Pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life

We never promise a specific result — each case depends on its facts, evidence, and available coverage. We also address medical liens so reimbursement claims don't quietly erode what you take home.

Deadlines and the Long Beach courthouse

Under Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, you generally have two years from the crash to file a lawsuit. When a government vehicle or a dangerous road condition is involved, Government Code §911.2 typically requires a written claim within about six months — a much shorter window that's easy to miss. Long Beach cases are handled through the Los Angeles County Superior Court, at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach.

How MMG Law Firm helps

MMG Law Firm is based in Glendale — roughly 25 miles from Long Beach — and represents injured people in Long Beach and throughout California. We handle most of your case remotely by phone, email, and secure portal, and appear in Los Angeles County court as your case requires. Consultations are free and available in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency — no fee unless we win.

How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with car accidents

When you hire MMG Law Firm, attorney Mihran M. Ghazaryan handles your case personally — not a case manager you never meet. He reviews the police report and your medical records himself, takes over every call with the adjuster, and looks for coverage others miss, including your own uninsured/underinsured-motorist policy. He also manages the medical liens that can quietly eat into a recovery, so more of any settlement stays with you.

Types of car accidents we handle

Rear-end and stop-light collisions

Often clearer on liability, but insurers still routinely dispute injury causation in low-speed impacts. We pair the medical record with biomechanical context to defeat that argument.

Intersection and left-turn crashes

Disputed-fault claims where the right-of-way analysis matters. Reconstruction, signal timing, and witness statements drive the result.

Hit-and-run and uninsured-motorist

We work directly with your own UM/UIM coverage when the at-fault driver flees or has no insurance, and we make sure your insurer treats you as the customer, not the adversary.

What compensation can cover

Every car accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.

Medical expenses

Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.

Lost wages

Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.

Pain and suffering

Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.

Property damage

Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.

Out-of-pocket costs

Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.

How we work

Free, no-pressure consultation

We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.

Investigation and evidence preservation

Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.

Treatment, demand, and negotiation

We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.

Litigation when necessary

Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.

What to do right away

Get medical attention even if you feel okay — adrenaline masks injury for hours.

Document the scene with photos before anyone moves the vehicles, if it is safe.

Get the other driver's name, license, plate, and insurance info.

Write down what witnesses saw and how to reach them.

File a report with the responding agency (or, for minor crashes, with DMV via SR-1 within 10 days).

Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance before talking to a lawyer.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.